This concise text provides an essential treatment of thermodynamics and a discussion of the basic principles built on an intuitive description of the microscopic behavior of matter. Aimed at both undergraduate and graduate students in mechanical and aerospace engineering, the presentation explains the foundations valid at the macroscopic level in relation to what happens at the microscopic level, relying on intuitive and visual explanations which are presented with engaging cases. With ad-hoc, inspiring examples related to current and future renewable energy conversion technologies and the...